Albion Board of Education votes to discontinue teaching high school students, moves to collaborate with Marshall Public Schools

Albion Public Schools Board of Education members Tuesday voted to discontinue teaching high school students as a way to address a $1.1 million deficit.(Will Forgrave | MLive.com)

ALBION, MI – When Albion High School first opened in 1872, seniors were not allowed to walk for graduation by order of Superintendent E.C. Thompson, who thought graduation need not be glorified, according to Albion historian Frank Passic.

More than 140 years after the first student graduated from AHS, the final 2013 graduate who walks during the school's graduation May 24 may be the last in the district's history.

Board member Shawn Welker abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest. His wife is a district teacher.

Facing a $1.1 million budget deficit in the coming fiscal year, the board reviewed a number of options before ultimately making a decision Tuesday night in front of hundreds of Albion residents, parents and students.

Following the vote, Avant left the meeting having threatened to resign from the board should they decide to move to a K-8 district.

The model will have the district close Harrington Elementary School and have all the students attend class in the current high school building.

A separate, unanimous vote will see Albion Public Schools collaborating with Marshall Public Schools.

"We will work with Marshall Public Schools to have Albion students' schooling uniform from kindergarten to graduation," APS Superintendent Jerri-Lynn Williams-Harper said.

Board members said during the meeting the decision was a difficult one.

"We have spent some time now with different models," board member Don Philips said. "This is not a reflection of Albion High School students. This is a reflection about fiscal stewardship and changes that have been happening in our state.

"As a longtime board member, it has always been cut, cut, cut, cut at Albion Public Schools," he continued. "I have not seen any forward thinking ideas until now."

"I want to congratulate you on making difficult decisions in the circumstances you're facing," he said. "I pledge that I'm here to help you with your decisions."

Board president Albert Pheley said there is still a lot of work to be done.

"We are not the only district facing this, and we're going to see more of it," he said. "We can be a model for what happens with other districts in financial trouble. I'm excited to move forward in the best possible way with this model."

The four-hour meeting was held in the Albion High School library.

Contact Will Forgrave at wforgrav@mlive.com or 517-262-7554. Follow him on Twitter at @WillForgrave.